8 
JOURNAL  OF  rrORTTCULTURE  AND  COTTAGE  GARDENER. 
July  3,  1898. 
Veiteh's  Red-top  Glohe. — A  variety  of  proved  excellence;  fresh, 
crlgp,  sweet,  and  appeared  to  have  suffered  little  by  the  absence  of  rain. 
CattelVs  Silver  Ball  (Dobbie). — Small  to  medium  sized,  pure  white, 
crisp,  tender,  and  symmetrical. 
Flat  Forcing  (Heiueman). — Similar  in  texture  and  quality  to  the 
last  named,  but  differing  in  shape  ;  good  for  summer  use. 
Greeii-top  Stone  (Veitch). — Good  sized,  well  shaped,  crisp,  and  sweet. 
A  second  early  variety  of  a  serviceable  character. 
Varieties  of  the  Chirk  Castle  type  and  others  are  to  be  tested  later  in 
the  season  for  ascertaining  their  relative  valaes  for  winter  use. 
A  New  Strawberry, 
As  the  fruit  was  not  ripe  enough  for  exhibiting  on  the  occasion  of 
the  last  K.H.S.  meeting  at  Westminster,  and  as  in  all  probability  the 
crop  would  be  over  before  the  next  assemblage  of  the  Committees  there, 
Messrs.  James  Veitch  &  Sons  sent  a  tray  of  fruits  of  a  new  Strawberry, 
also  a  plant  in  pot,  for  examination  by  the  above  named  Committee  at 
Chiswick.  It  was  fortunate  for  the  members  that  this  was  done,  as  they 
had  a  treat  of  no  ordinary  character. 
The  new  Strawberry  is  the  result  of  a  cross  effected  by  Mr.  Seden 
between  British  Queen  and  Waterloo.  The  first  named  is  recognised  as 
the  beat  dessert  Strawberry  in  existence,  while  Waterloo  is  one  of  the 
largest  and  certainly  the  darkest  of  the  late  varieties.  The  chief 
characteristics  of  both  are  happily  blended  in  the  new  comer. 
The  fruit  is  large,  conical  to  obtusely  wedge  shaped,  of  the  deepest 
glossy  crimson  imaginable,  the  colour  passing  quite  through  the  flesh.  In 
quality  the  fruit  is  unusually  rich,  sugary,  and  luscious — quite  a  sweet¬ 
meat,  with  the  aroma  of  the  British  Queen  pervading  it  like  a  bouquet. 
The  plant,  raised  from  a  runner  in  September  and  grown  in  a  pot,  was 
of  vigorous  habit,  with  stout  erect  leafstalks,  and  dark  thick  foliage, 
closely  resembling  that  of  Dr.  Hogg  (also  raised  from  British  Queen),  and 
was  carrying  fifteen  fruits,  the  majority  of  good  dessert  size.  This 
suggests  that  the  variety  is  strong  and  fruitful  in  character.  Assuming 
that  it  is  so,  and  having  regard  to  the  size,  colour,  and  extraordinary 
richness  of  the  fruit,  we  have  no  hesitation  in  predicting  that  this  new 
Strawberry  has  come  to  stay,  or  rather,  to  stray  into  gardens  over  the 
length  and  breadth  of  the  land.  It  was  named,  whether  provisionally 
or  not  we  do  not  know.  Majestic ;  but  we  do  know  that  the  ten  members 
of  Committee  present  recommended  a  first-class  certificate  for  the 
variety  with  acclamation.  Had  one  more  committeeman  been  there  it 
is  certain  the  honour  would  have  been  granted,  so  that  it  shows  one 
member  may  have  more  power  than  ten,  under  a  recent  order  of  the 
Council. 
COMBATING  THE  ONION  MAGGOT. 
It  would  be  of  the  greatest  service  to  the  gardening  fraternity  if  any 
of  your  correspondents  could  enlighten  them  of  their  successful  pro¬ 
cedure  in  the  destruction  of  the  larvm  of  the  Onion  fly,  which  are  so 
destructive  in  many  gardens. 
Our  plants  are  autumn  and  spring  sown ;  the  latter  were  sown  in 
boxes  under  glass  in  March  (at  which  time  I  undertook  the  charge  of 
the  gardens)  and  planted  carefully  out  in  the  latter  end  of  April.  The 
ground  was  well  prepared,  receiving  a  good  dressing  of  manure  when 
dug,  and  after  lying  rough  for  a  few  days  I  gave  it  a  heavy  coating  of 
lime,  which  was  well  forked  in.  At  the  time  of  planting  I  drew  out 
deep  drills  and  placed  them  in  prepared  compost,  in  which  the  Onions 
were  planted.  I  was  told  on  taking  charge  that  Onions  were  generally 
a  failure,  hence  the  reason  of  the  foregoing  preparation. 
Since  they  were  planted  I  have  repeatedly  given  them  a  dressing  with 
artificial  manure,  soot,  and  lime,  and  kept  them  well  watered  during 
the  dry  weather.  About  a  fortnight  ago  I  noticed  the  flies  had  laid  eggs 
on  a  few  of  the  spring-sown  plants.  I  may  say  so  far  the  autumn  plants 
have  withstood  their  attacks.  I  at  once  gave  another  top-dressing  of 
soot  and  lime,  and  also  syringed  them  with  a  strong  solution  of  softsoap  and 
paraffin,  rather  over  1  lb.  of  the  latter  to  a  pail  of  water,  which  I  was 
afraid  would  burn  the  plants.  However,  I  kept  it  well  mixed,  and  with 
the  exception  of  a  few  of  the  younger  leaves  being  browned  they  with¬ 
stood  it  without  the  least  damage  to  the  roots, 
I  gave  them  four  syringings  with  the  solution  at  the  same  strength, 
but  I  found  they  were  little  better.  To  try  if  there  were  any  use 
syringing  further  with  the  above  I  got  a  few  of  the  larvm  and  put  them 
in  pure  paraffin.  After  they  had  been  immersed  in  it  for  five  minutes 
I  poured  off  the  oil  and  allowed  them  to  roll  in’the  bottom  of  the  glass. 
After  being  in  this  position  for  forty  hours  they  are  still  alive.  I  also 
rolled  them  in  lime.  This  also  has  had  no  effect,  so  I  have  come  to  the 
conclusion  I  am  on  the  wrong  track.  I  am  pulling  up  every  infested 
plant  and  destroying  all  the  larvm  I  can  find. 
I  intend  giving  the  ground  I  shall  grow  them  on  next  year  a  deep 
trenching  in  the  autumn,  and  salting  it  well  as  the  work  proceeds. 
—W.  RUSHTON. 
ROYAL  HORTICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 
June  23rd. 
Scientific  Committee.  —  Present :  Dr.  M.  T.  Masters  (in  the 
chair) ;  Dr.  Bonavia,  Mr.  Douglas,  Rev.  G .  Henslow,  Hon.  Sec. 
JHanthv/S,  Colours  of. — With  reference  to  the  colours  of  Carnations, 
Mr.  Douglas  observed  that  the  yellows  are  apt  to  revert  to  other  colours, 
and  mentioned  as  an  instance  of  200  seedlings  from  a  yellow,  among 
which  no  yellow  appeared. 
Callage  Palm  Fruity— ULt,  J.  H.  Maiden,  successor  to  Mr.  Oh.  Moore, 
formerly  Curator  for  fifty  years  of  the  Botanic  Garden,  Melbourne,  sent 
some  fruit.  They  are  small  and  globular,  about  the  size  of  marbles.  The 
Palm  is  Livistona  australis,  described  as  a  tall  and  graceful  tree,  80  feet 
in  height.  They  were  forwarded  to  Chiswick  to  be  grown. 
Tomatoes,  Monstrous. —  Dr.  Masters  exhibited  some  Tomatoes  of  the 
modern  globular  form,  remarkable  for  possessing  small  exserted  super¬ 
numerary  carpels.  These  had  grown  on  the  placentas  in  the  place  of  ovules. 
It  was  not  uncommon  in  the  old  grooved  Tomatoes  (due  to  the  flowers 
having  been  synanthic),  but  it  had  not  appeared  before  on  the  smooth 
fruit.  It  was  received  from  Mr.  Dixon  of  Chester. 
Pinus  Lamlertiana. — Dr.  Masters  also  showed  a  shoot  of  this  tree, 
known  in  California  as  the  Sugar  Pine,  bearing  numerous  orange 
coloured  male  catkins. 
Chirims  Moss-grmoth. — Mr.  J.  P.  Way  of  Warwick  School  sent  a 
remarkable  specimen,  found  near  the  New  Forest;  It  was  of  the  shape 
of  a  double  convex  lens,  about  6  inches  across ;  the  stems  all  radiating 
from  the  middle.  It  was  forwarded  to  Dr.  Braithwaite,  who  reports  as 
follows: — “The  moss  is  Leucobryum  glaucum,  common  in  this  state, 
but  very  rare  in  fruit.  It  grows  under  two  conditions  :  (1)  In  boggy 
heaths,  when  it  takes  a  more  expanded  form,  being  always  wet ;  (2)  in 
woods,  where  it  occurs  in  circular  patches,  beginning  of  the  size  of  a 
sixpence,  rooting,  and  going  on  increasing  to  the  dimensions  of  a  half- 
crown.  The  branching  goes  on  centrifugally,  and  the  tufts  are  so  dense 
that  the  easiest  way  for  them  is  to  lie  between  the  surface  of  the 
ground  and  the  older  stems  above.  Then,  probably,  after  the  first 
heavy  rain  the  cushion  swells  up  like  a  sponge,  and  is  torn  away  from 
the  earth,  to  become  a  white  lump  when  dry,  which  is  then  blown 
about  by  the  wind,  just  like  the  Rose  of  Jericho,  Anastatica  Herio- 
chuntica.  The  plant  would  not  grow  again  at  a  whole,  but  it  throws  off 
small  ones,  which  grow  and  form  new  colonies.  (See  Br.  “  Moss  Flora,” 
page  85). 
BLACK  SPOT  IN  TOMATOES— SAMPLE  OF  WATER. 
In  continuation  of  my  query  to  you  on  the  above  disease,  I  am 
sending  a  sample  of  water.  If  you  will  kindly  examine  it  and  see  if 
yon  can  find  anything  in  it  injurious  to  the  Tomato  plant  I  shall  be 
obliged.  You  will  observe  small  things,  somewhat  like  small  tadpoles, 
in  the  water  ;  what  are  they  ? 
The  water  comes  from  a  spring,  and  is  conveyed  through  the  house 
into  tanks  at  convenient  distances,  so  as  to  be  always  the  same  tempera¬ 
ture  as  the  house.  My  idea  is  whether  the  spores  of  the  disease  do  not 
germinate  in  the  water,  and  thus  is  distributed  to  every  plant  when 
watering.  Any  suggestion  you  can  make  to  stamp  out  the  disease,  or  to 
guard  against  it  in  future  seasons,  will  be  gratefully  accepted.— T.  P.  R. 
On  receiving  the  “  sample  of  water  ”  from  the  Editor  of  the  Journal 
of  Horticulture  I  proceeded  to  “examine  it,”  and  see  if  there  were 
“  anything  in  it  injurious  to  the  Tomato  plant.”  With  the  glass  bottle 
(fig.  2,  A,  half  real  size)  between  the  vision  and  the  light  I  saw  the 
“  small  things  somewhat  like  small  tadpoles  in  the  water  ”  very  clearly 
with  the  naked  eye.  “What  are  they?”  The  larvae  of  the  common 
gnat  (Culex  species),  which  lead  an  aquatic  life,  and  of  which  all 
stagnant  water  containing  organic  matter  partly  or  wholly  in  solution 
are  full  in  summer  time,  the  small  “  worms  ”  (larvae)  banging  with 
their  heads  downwards,  whilst  their  hinder  parts  reach  the  surface  of 
the  water  when  air  is  required.  At  this  stage  the  respiratory  orifice  is 
placed  on  the  last  segment  of  the  body.  They  are  also,  in  this  condition 
of  existence,  provided  with  small  caudal  lamellm  or  fins,  by  means  of 
which  they  pass  freely  through  the  water  by  a  sort  of  dart-like  wriggling 
movement. 
After  having  remained  in  the  larval  state  for  about  twenty  days  they 
are  transformed  into  pupae,  in  which  all  the  limbs  of  the  perfect  insect 
are  distinguishable  through  the  diaphanous  robe  with  which  they  are 
then  shrouded.  After  remaining  three  or  four  days  in  the  pupal  state 
(not  inactive,  for  they  retain  the  power  of  movement,  but  incapable  of 
taking  food),  they  become  gnats,  the  pupa  rising  to  the  surface  of  the 
water ;  then  the  insect  bursts  the  case  with  its  head,  the  shell  serving 
for  a  boat  and  of  which  its  wings  are  the  sails.  If  a  wind  arises  the 
boat  is  upset  and  the  sailor  drowned  ;  but  if  the  weather  prove  calm  the 
insect  speedily  dries  its  wings  and  mounts  into  the  air,  leading  an  aerial 
mode  of  life  for  some  time.  The  perfect  insects,  take  little  food  ;  as 
regards  plants,  feeding  only  on  extravasated  juices,  and  doing  no  harm 
whatever  to  vegetation  either  in  the  larval  or  perfect  state.  The  eggs 
are  deposited  on  the  surface  of  the  water  in  a  long  mass,  and  ifrom  these 
the  larvm  shortly  afterwards  emerge,  living  in  the  water,  and  from  it 
deriving  the  organic  matter  out  of  which  they  build  up  the  ultimate 
gnats. 
The  water,  therefore,  contained  vegetable  or  organic  matter,  and  this 
mainly  in  solution.  This  solution  is  due  to  oxidation,  for  while  the 
water  was  in  the  bowels  of  the  earth  there  would  be  little  or  very  slow 
change,  but  on  the  water  coming  into  contact  with  atmospheric  air 
oxidation  would  proceed  much  more  rapidly,  aud  the  organic  matter 
first  be  broken  up,  and  the  water  full  of  it  in  solution  and  in  a  state  of 
decay.  Such  is  what  occurs  in  the  tanks  of  your  correspondent,  and 
it  (the  contained  organic  matter)  becomes  more  or  less  ill-smelling,  as 
rain  water  tanks  in  summer,  a  medium  of  support  for  low  forms  of  animal 
life. 
Oxidation  is  of  two  kinds — 1,  Chemical ;  2,  microbic.  Both  resolve 
organic  matter  into  inorganic,  fluid  or  solid,  the  only  form  of  vegetable 
food.  No  animal  or  vegetable  parasite — this  lives  like  an  animal — can 
